Adam Rex
Adam Rex grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, the middle of three children. He was neither the smart one (older brother) or the cute one (younger sister), but he was the one who could draw. He took a lot of art classes as a kid, trying to learn to draw better, and started painting when he was 11. And later in life he was drawn down to Tucson in order to hone his skills, get a BFA from the University of Arizona, and meet his physicist wife Marie (who is both the smart and cute one).
Adam is nearsighted, bad at all sports, learning to play the theremin, and usually in need of a shave. He can carry a tune, if you don't mind the tune getting dropped and stepped on occasionally. He never remembers anyone's name until he's heard it at least three times. H
If you like author Adam Rex here is the list of authors you may also like
Buy books on AmazonTotal similar authors (100)
-
David Shannon
David Shannon is the author and illustrator of many highly praised books for children. Born in Washington, D.C., he grew up in Spokane, Washington. He graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, with a fine arts degree, and then moved to New York City. His editorial illustrations have appeared in The New York Times, Time, and Rolling Stone, and his artwork has appeared on numerous book jackets. Shannon is a passionate baseball fan and softball player. He and his wife now live in Los Angeles.
Buy books on Amazon
David Shannon @ Scholastic -
Mo Willems
#1 New York Times Bestselling author and illustrator Mo Willems is best known for his Caldecott Honor winning picture books Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny: a cautionary tale.
Buy books on Amazon
In addition to such picture books as Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct, and Time to Pee, Mo has created the Elephant and Piggie books, a series of early readers, and published You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons, an annotated cartoon journal sketched during a year-long voyage around the world in 1990-91.
The New York Times Book Review called Mo “the biggest new talent to emerge thus far in the 00's."
Mo’s work books have been translated into a myriad of languages, spawned animated shorts -
Jacqueline Woodson
I used to say I’d be a teacher or a lawyer or a hairdresser when I grew up but even as I said these things, I knew what made me happiest was writing.
Buy books on Amazon
I wrote on everything and everywhere. I remember my uncle catching me writing my name in graffiti on the side of a building. (It was not pretty for me when my mother found out.) I wrote on paper bags and my shoes and denim binders. I chalked stories across sidewalks and penciled tiny tales in notebook margins. I loved and still love watching words flower into sentences and sentences blossom into stories.
I also told a lot of stories as a child. Not “Once upon a time” stories but basically, outright lies. I loved lying and getting away with it! There was something about telling the lie-story and -
-
Peter H. Reynolds
Peter Hamilton Reynolds is an author and illustrator of children's books and is the co-Founder and CEO of educational media company FableVision.
Buy books on Amazon -
Matt de la Peña
Matt de la Peña is the New York Times best-selling, Newbery-medal-winning author of six young adult novels and four picture books. Matt received his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific, where he attended school on a full athletic scholarship for basketball. de la Peña currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. He teaches creative writing and visits high schools and colleges throughout the country.
Buy books on Amazon
Visit Matt at: mattdelapena.com -
Jory John
Jory John is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and two-time E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor recipient.
Buy books on Amazon
Jory's work includes the #1 New York Times bestselling picture book, The Good Egg, and the #2 New York Times bestselling picture book, The Bad Seed, both illustrated by Pete Oswald. He is also the author of the popular picture books, Penguin Problems and Giraffe Problems, both illustrated by Lane Smith, the award-winning Goodnight Already! series, illustrated by Benji Davies, the New York Times bestselling Terrible Two series, the recent picture books Quit Calling Me a Monster! (with Bob Shea), Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back? (with Liz Climo), and the international bestseller, All my friends are dead, among many other books for both -
Mac Barnett
Born to non-farmers in a California farming community, Mac Barnett now lives near San Francisco. He's on the board of directors of 826LA, a nonprofit writing center for students in Los Angeles, and he founded the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers.
Buy books on Amazon -
Jon Klassen
Jon Klassen received the 2010 Canadian Governor General’s Award for his illustrations in Caroline Stutson’s Cat's Night Out. He also created illustrations for the popular series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and served as an illustrator on the animated feature film Coraline (2009). I Want My Hat Back is the first book he has both written and illustrated. Originally from Niagara Falls, Canada, he lives in Los Angeles.
Buy books on Amazon -
Christian Robinson
Christian Robinson is an American illustrator of children's books and an animator. He is based in Sacramento, California and has worked with The Sesame Street Workshop and Pixar Animation Studios. He graduated from the California Institute of the Arts.
Buy books on Amazon -
Kyle Lukoff
Kyle Lukoff writes books for kids and other people.
Buy books on Amazon
Before becoming a full-time writer, Kyle worked at five bookstores, in four libraries, for three schools, as two genders, through one intersection: people, and books. -
Juana Martinez-Neal
Juana Martinez-Neal is the recipient of the 2019 Caldecott Honor for “Alma and How She Got Her Name” (Candlewick Press), the 2018 Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration for "La Princesa and the Pea" (written by Susan M. Elya, Putnam), and the 2020 Sibert Medal for “Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story” (written by Kevin Noble Maillard, Roaring Brook Press).
Buy books on Amazon
Juana was named to the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honor list in 2014, and was awarded the SCBWI Portfolio Showcase Grand Prize in 2012. She was born in Lima, the capital of Peru, and now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband, two sons, and daughter. -
Kevin Noble Maillard
Kevin Maillard is Professor of Law at Syracuse University, a contributor to the New York Times and a co-founder of Black Stream Partners LLC. He has written for The Atlantic and has provided on-air commentary to ABC News and MSNBC. He is the debut author of Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story, a picture book illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, which won the Sibert Medal and the American Indian Youth Literature Honor. An enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, he is based in Manhattan, NY.
Buy books on Amazon -
Minh Lê
Minh Lê is the author of Drawn Together illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat and Let Me Finish! (named an NPR Best Book of 2016) illustrated by Isabel Roxas (both published by Disney-Hyperion). He is also writing Green Lantern: Legacy, a graphic novel (illustrated by Andie Tong) for the new DC Comics middle grade imprint, DC Zoom. As a member of the kidlit consortium The Niblings, he writes about children's literature at Bottom Shelf Books and for a variety of publications, including the New York Times, The Horn Book, and HuffPost.
Buy books on Amazon -
A.R. Merrydew
Anthony Richard Merrydew was born in Dorking Surrey, England. His was educated at Andrew Cairns Secondary Modern school in Littlehampton, and several colleges in West Sussex.
Buy books on Amazon
He wrote his first manuscript ‘Malakoff’, during the early seventies, when he lived and worked in Besancon, France. For reasons best known to him, this remains to this day a work in progress.
His first published work, ‘Our Blue Orange’, was a light hearted Science Fiction story, which revolved around his fascination for automation, and in particular Artificial Intelligence. The novel took eight years to complete in his spare time, whilst working world-wide.
‘The Girl with the Porcelain Lips’, (second novel) was completed in Dunoon, Scotland, on a friends farm. Their sup -
Vashti Harrison
Vashti Harrison, author and illustrator of the bestselling Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, is an artist, author, and filmmaker with a passion for storytelling. She earned her MFA in film and video from California Institute of the Arts, where she snuck into animation and illustration classes to learn from Disney and DreamWorks legends. There she rekindled a love for drawing and painting. Now she uses her love for both film and illustration to craft beautiful stories for children.
Buy books on Amazon -
-
Jenn Bailey
Jenn Bailey is an author, editor, documentarian, blue-ribbon pie baker, and eager traveler. She received her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Born and raised in Rhode Island, she now calls Kansas City home where she lives with her husband, three sons, and numerous cats and dogs. Jenn was inspired to write Henry's story after watching her own sons, one who is on the autism spectrum, navigate finding a friend - a process which took patience, time, and courage. But finding the right one was always, always worth it.
Buy books on Amazon -
Michaela Goade
Michaela Goade is an American illustrator. She won the 2021 Caldecott Medal for her illustrations in the book We Are Water Protectors written by Carole Lindstrom. She is the first Native American to win the award. She is of the Tlingit and Haida tribes.
Buy books on Amazon -
Aaron Reynolds
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Buy books on Amazon
Aaron Reynolds is a New York Times Bestselling Author of many highly acclaimed books for kids, including Dude!, Creepy Carrots!, Creepy Pair of Underwear!, Nerdy Birdy, and tons more. He frequently visits schools and his highly participatory presentations are a blast for kids and teachers alike. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife, two kids, four cats, and between three and ten fish, depending on the day.
(source: Amazon) -
Shannon Olsen
Shannon Olsen is the #1 best-selling author of 5 picture books, all geared toward building community and positive relationships at school: Our Class is a Family, both books in the A Letter From Your Teacher series, Our School is a Family, and Collaboration Station.
Buy books on Amazon
Her newest book, We're So Happy You're Here: A Warm Welcome for our New Student, will be released in fall 2025.
Her first book made the #1 spot for children’s books on Publisher’s Weekly, and several of her titles have reached the overall Top 20 on the Amazon Charts.
Shannon earned her B.A. in English and M.A. in Teaching from the University of California Irvine, and is a wife and a mom of two girls.
Through her fifteen years of experience as a second grade teacher, she found a s -
Corinna Luyken
Corinna Luyken is the author-illustrator of the New York Times Best Seller, MY HEART, as well as THE ARGUERS (Spring 2025); ABC AND YOU AND ME (A Dolly Parton Imagination Library selection); THE TREE IN ME (an NCTE Notable Poetry Book and Indie Bestseller); and THE BOOK OF MISTAKES (which The Wall Street Journal called “sublime”). She is also the illustrator of many award winning picture books including IN THE DARK (A Marginalian Best Book of 2023) written by Kate Hoefler; PATCHWORK (A New York Times and Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2022), written by Matt de la Peña; and ADRIAN SIMCOX DOES NOT HAVE A HORSE (A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard and Comstock-Gag Read Aloud Book Award) written by Marcy Campbell.
Buy books on Amazon
She was raised in Oregon, Calif -
Julie Andrews Edwards
Dame Julie Elizabeth Andrews Edwards, DBE is an award-winning English actress, singer, author and cultural icon. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours. Andrews rose to prominence after starring in Broadway musicals such as My Fair Lady and Camelot, as well as musical films like Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965).
Buy books on Amazon -
Estela Juarez
When Estela Juarez was 8 years old, her mother, Alejandra, was deported to Mexico. It was then that Estela transformed her love of writing in her diary into writing letters to her local newspaper, to Congress, and to the president.
Buy books on Amazon
The momentum built, and her Congressman decided to step in to help.
Estela’s story was featured at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, inspiring the whole country. In 2021, her mother received temporary permission to return to her family.
Estela still loves writing in her diary. She also enjoys making her family laugh; reading books from the library; going for long walks with her mom and dad, Cuauhtemoc, near their home in Florida; and hanging out with her big sister, Pamela.
Estela hopes to one day become an im -
Betsy Bird
Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, undisputed center of the universe, Betsy Bird (nee Elizabeth Ramsey) grew up and promptly left Michigan the moment her legs could propel her southward. She didn't get far. Obtaining a B.A. at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana (home of recorded jazz and don't let anyone tell you otherwise) she set her sights on Portland, Oregon. When that didn't pan out it was Minneapolis, Minnesota. Then New York, New York. In the midst of all this she somehow managed to get a library degree and a job at New York Public Library, eventually becoming their Youth Media Specialist (a.k.a. the person who bought all the kids' books for Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx). She created the children's literary blog A Fuse #8 Prod
Buy books on Amazon -
Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Chris Naylor-Ballesteros is a picture book author and illustrator, published by Nosy Crow, Andersen Press and Bloomsbury.
Buy books on Amazon -
-
Frank Murphy
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Buy books on Amazon
See also: Frank Murphy and Frank Murphy, among others. -
Jessica Reid Sliwerski
Jessica Reid Sliwerski is a literacy specialist, reading enthusiast, and former elementary school teacher. This picture book was inspired by her own breast cancer treatment and recovery. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and daughter.
Buy books on Amazon -
Kristin Hensley
Kristin grew up in a small town in the middle of Nebraska where she learned that working hard and laughing harder is the best way to live life. After graduating from the University Of Nebraska in Lincoln she ventured out to Los Angeles where she started working as a actress, comedienne, writer, teacher and bartender. She met her friend Jen, the other gal on the cover of this book, while drinking beers in the parking lot of a run-down comedy theater. After 15 seconds, they became besties and soon realized that they were both from Nebraska! Soon after, they both met their now husbands, had a couple of babies, found themselves completely overwhelmed and started a web series called #IMOMSOHARD. Turns out there are a lot of moms/women out there
Buy books on Amazon -
Scott Chantler
Scott Chantler is the acclaimed cartoonist of the graphic novels SQUIRE& KNIGHT, BIX, TWO GENERALS (which was long-listed for CBC’s CANADA READS: TRUE STORIES, named one of Chapters-Indigo’s Best Books of 2010, and selected for BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2012), NORTHWEST PASSAGE (which was nominated for Eisner, Harvey, Shuster, and Doug Wright Awards), and the THREE THIEVES series (the first book of which, TOWER OF TREASURE, won the Joe Shuster Award for Best Comic for Kids).
Buy books on Amazon -
Deborah da Costa
Deborah da Costa was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and raised in Verona, New Jersey. Da Costa is a pen name she uses for children's books, though she claims it does have family significance. She attended Ohio State and then Columbia University's Teacher's College in New York. She is married with two grown children and two grandchildren and lives in Maryland with her husband, Warren, and three formerly stray cats. She worked as a teacher, but now works as an educational consultant, college professor, and full-time writer.
Buy books on Amazon -
Julia Seal
Julia Seal is an author-illustrator from a small village in England. She knew from the age of five what she wanted to do for a living – draw pictures! After studying Graphic Design and Illustration, Julia got a job making greetings cards, where she came home each day covered in glitter. After this, she managed to land her dream job of creating children’s books, and hasn’t looked back since. She’s illustrated more than 70 books over the past 9 years! Julia has recently started writing books and gets her inspiration from things going on around her. She keeps a little book of funny quotes and overheard snippets of conversations that often turn into stories. Her two children also provide endless inspiration.
Buy books on Amazon -
Cate Berry
Cate Berry holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts with a Picture Book Intensive Certificate. Cate is an active member of SCBWI, The Writer’s League of Texas and a frequent picture book faculty member at the Writing Barn (Austin, TX). Ms. Berry will present as a panelist for the Association of Writer’s and Writer’s Programs (AWWP) National Conference discussing Gender Stereotyping and Poetic Devices in picture books (Spring/18). Her debut, Penguin and Tiny Shrimp Don't Do Bedtime! (Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins) was pinned a Junior Library Guild selection. It releases on 5/8/18; other publications TBA. www.cateberry.com
Buy books on Amazon -
Annie Silvestro
Annie Silvestro is a lover of books who reads and writes as much as possible and can often be found shuffling piles of them around so she has a place to sit or someplace to put her teacup. Her picture books include BUNNY’S BOOK CLUB, illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss (Doubleday), MICE SKATING, illustrated by Teagan White (Sterling, Fall 2017), and THE CHRISTMAS TREE WHO LOVED TRAINS, illustrated by Paola Zakimi (HarperCollins, Fall 2018). Annie lives with her family by the beach in New Jersey. Visit Annie online at: www.anniesilvestro.com and on Twitter and Instagram: @anniesilvestro
Buy books on Amazon -
Kyo Maclear
Kyo Maclear is an essayist, novelist and children’s author. She was born in London, England and moved to Toronto at the age of four with her British father (a foreign correspondent and documentary filmmaker) and Japanese mother (a painter and art dealer).
Buy books on Amazon
Her books have been translated into eighteen languages, published in over twenty-five countries, and garnered nominations from the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, the Governor General’s Literary Awards, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards, the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the National Magazine Awards, among other honours.
Unearthing: a Story of Tangled Love and Family Secrets (2023) was a national bestseller and awarded the Governor General’s Literary Award for No -
Mike Boldt
Mike Boldt has been my name
Buy books on Amazon
for quite a few years
Some people call me an Author / Illustrator
I’ve been called worse
I like ice cream a lot
I still enjoy cartoons
I‘ve drawn since I was young
I read (picture) books
I like to write & Draw them too
I'm amazed and grateful every day this is my job. -
Jeanie Franz Ransom
Jeanie Franz Ransom is a children's picture-book author and former elementary school counselor with a penchant for puns and a fondness for fractured fairytales. Her books include the award-winning "What Really Happened to Humpty?" and "The Crown Affair," and her newest title, "Cowboy Car."
Buy books on Amazon
Jeanie also writes self-help books for kids and the adults in their lives, including "Don't Squeal Unless It's' a Big Deal: A Tale of Tattletales," "Big Red and the Little Bitty Wolf: A Story About Bullying," and "There's a Cat in Our Class: A Tale About Getting Along."
Jeanie divides her time between St. Louis, MO, and Northport, MI, and is a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and conferences. To et updates on Jeanie's books and special events, fo -
Mrs. MacLeod
THE BARNES & NOBLE PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR
Buy books on Amazon
Mrs. & Mr. MacLeod live in a small cabin, under a big tree, on a medium sized hill, with their five growing children. HOW TO EAT A BOOK is their debut picture book in The Grunions series featuring Sheila, Gerald and Geraldine Grunion.
PRAISE FOR HOW TO EAT A BOOK:
“If Lewis Carroll, Piet Mondrian and Shel Silverstein had ever decided to write a book together, these are the kids and the book they would have conceived.”
– The New York Times
“A time-warping joyride of graphic delight and conceptual dexterity.”
– The New York Times
HOW TO EAT A BOOK
★ – BARNES & NOBLE PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
★ – KIDS' INDIE NEXT LIST 2022
★ – BEST BOOKS OF 2022 SLJ
★ – BANK STREET COLLEGE OF EDUCATION BEST CHILDREN'S BO -
Carme Lemniscates
Carme Lemniscates is the author, illustrator and designer of several critically acclaimed children's books including Trees (2017), Birds (2019), Seeds (2020), and El jardín mágico, for which she won the 2017 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. She has also illustrated Jennifer Adams's I Am a Warrior Goddess (2018), Kate Coombs's BabyLit Little Poets board book series, and Hillary and Chelsea Clinton's Grandma's Gardens (2020).
Buy books on Amazon -
Colleen A.F. Venable
You might know me from such films as "Colleen's Fourth Birthday Party" and "Colleen Falls Down Over and Over Again While Ice Skating."
Buy books on Amazon
Fun facts!
-I have a huge connect-the-dots tattoo.
-I accidentally started an international holiday.
(See National Pancake Day or Lumberjack Day, every Sept 26)
-I once sang back-up on an album nominated for the Polka Grammy.
-I can't sing.
-When I was 18, I broke a national coed jump-rope record.
My debut YA graphic novel Kiss Number 8 was a National Book Award Longlist title, an Eisner nominee, and a Prism award finalist.
My graphic novel series Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye (illustrated by Stephanie Yue) was nominated for an Eisner for Best Publication for Kids and awarded “Best Book” recognition from Ki -
Gaia Cornwall
Gaia Cornwall is an illustrator who loves making patterns for surface design, illustrating for children, and writing picture books. Her images can be seen in magazines, online, in logos, on various products, and even in a couple movies. JABARI JUMPS (Candlewick Press, May 2017,) is her debut picture book. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island. You can see more of her work at www.GaiaCornwall.com
Buy books on Amazon -
Bill Richardson
Bill Richardson was born and grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba on a quiet little street. He admits to being a shy kid, a quality that has carried over into his adulthood. With his two brothers and the neighborhood children, Bill would play hide and seek, red rover and tag. They got into the usual sorts of mischief: garden raids and snowball fights.
Buy books on Amazon
Bill has always taken comfort in reading. As a child his tastes were very diverse, ranging from the adventures of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, the Happy Hollisters, and the Enid Blyton books to comics featuring Archie, Richie Rich, Little Lulu, Casper, Batman and Superman. The Alice in Wonderland books were favorites, and he still loves them today.
Bill’s parents also influenced his reading habits at -
Rowboat Watkins
Rowboat Watkins is mostly a dad who likes to tell stories and draw. Nobody knows why his wife started calling him Rowboat...but she does. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.
Buy books on Amazon -
Rashmi Sirdeshpande
Rashmi Sirdeshpande is an award-winning British Indian author of both fiction and nonfiction.
Buy books on Amazon
Rashmi gave up her beloved job as a lawyer to spend more time stretching and squeezing words into stories. In 2018, she was selected for the Penguin Random House WriteNow mentoring program and started her writing career by signing with Puffin Books.
Rashmi loves learning about new things, writing, and uses her platform to be the author that she was missing in her childhood. -
Brian Gehrlein
Brian Gehrlein lives in Liberty, Missouri with his family where he also teaches high school English. His first book, THE BOOK OF RULES (FSG), is about following the rules (lest you be eaten!) and comes out fall 2021. He is an active member of SCBWI, participates in various kid lit critique groups, and is the creator and manager of Picture Book Spotlight, a picture book literary blog featuring interviews with authors, agents, and other industry professionals.
Buy books on Amazon
Brian attended William Jewell College where he graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Education. He recently finished his Master's of Science in Education with an emphasis in Reading from Arkansas State University.
When Brian isn’t writing or drinking coffee or playing with -
Jenn Bailey
Jenn Bailey is an author, editor, documentarian, blue-ribbon pie baker, and eager traveler. She received her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Born and raised in Rhode Island, she now calls Kansas City home where she lives with her husband, three sons, and numerous cats and dogs. Jenn was inspired to write Henry's story after watching her own sons, one who is on the autism spectrum, navigate finding a friend - a process which took patience, time, and courage. But finding the right one was always, always worth it.
Buy books on Amazon -
Geena Davis
Two-time Academy Award winner Geena Davis is one of Hollywood’s most respected actors, having appeared in several roles that became cultural landmarks, such as Thelma in Thelma & Louise, Dottie Hinson in A League of Their Own, and Mackenzie Allen in Commander in Chief. She is also a world-class archer and is now recognized for her tireless advocacy of women and girls, as Founder and Chair of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.
Buy books on Amazon -
Leo Dillon
Leo Dillon was a celebrated African-American magazine and book-cover artist, and a children's book author and illustrator. The vast majority of his work was done collaboratively with his wife, Diane Dillon, with whom he won his many awards, although a few early titles were solo projects.
Buy books on Amazon
Born in Brooklyn in 1933, Lionel John Dillon was the son of Trinidadian immigrants, and was educated at the Parsons School of Design, after serving in the US Navy for three years. Here he met Diane Sorber, who was initially a fierce artistic competitor. Eventually the two married, and commenced a fifty-year collaborative career that produced over one hundred speculative fiction book and magazine covers, and numerous picture-book illustrations. They were joi -
Deanna Caswell
I write children's books, I'm more famous in my area for my pets! See my new book Little House in the Suburbs and videos uploaded below and the newspaper links here, here, here, here, and here.
Buy books on Amazon -
Marcia Leonard
Marcia Leonard has worked as an editor, agent, publicist, project manager, book packager, and consultant—all in the field of children’s literature. She’s the author of over ninety books for young children and was co-owner of Small Packages, Inc., which produced over 150 titles for publishing clients. She helped Dilys Evans organize and mount the first Original Art exhibitions at the Master Eagle Gallery, then rejoined the show at the Society of Illustrators in 2004.
Buy books on Amazon -
Julio Torres
Julio Torres is a Salvadoran writer, comedian, and actor. He is the creator of the HBO special My Favorite Shapes, and has written for Saturday Night Live. He's also one of the masterminds behind Los Espookys, HBO's Spanish-language comedy about a group of horror enthusiasts.
Buy books on Amazon -
Kelly Bennett
I write books for children celebrating imagination, families, friends, pets…all that goes into being a kid! What books? Baseball books for fans of all ages, including: OUT OF THE MOUTH OF BABE & THE HOUSE THAT RUTH BUILT, picture books including. NORMAN ONE AMAZING GOLDFISH & NOT NORMAN, featuring our finny fish friend, Norman T Goldfish, illustrated by Noah Z Jones (Candlewick Press); VAMPIRE BABY about a biting baby sister/vampire; DAD AND POP: Ode to Fathers & Stepfathers, illustrated by Paul Meisel; ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING & DANCE, Y’ALL, DANCE illustrated by Terri Murphy; YOUR DADDY WAS JUST LIKE YOU & YOUR MOMMY WAS JUST LIKE YOU illustrated by David Walker; and POETRY LAB, 7-Minute Poetry Prompts you can find—and try!—on my blog, Kel
Buy books on Amazon -
K. Tempest Bradford
K. Tempest Bradford is an award-winning teacher, media critic, and author of fantasy and science fiction steeped in Black Girl Magic. Her debut middle grade novel Ruby Finley vs. the Interstellar Invasion will be out in September 2022 from FSG for Young Readers.
Buy books on Amazon
Tempest’s short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies and magazines, including In The Shadow of the Towers and Strange Horizons. Her media criticism and essays on diversity and representation have been published at NPR, io9, Ebony Magazine, and more.
She teaches classes and gives talks on representation and creating diverse narratives for Writing the Other and has been invited to teach at Clarion West, LitReactor, universities, and entertainment companies.
She’s the recipient of -
Lourdes Heuer
Lourdes Heuer is a children's author, poet, translator, and college professor.
Buy books on Amazon
She holds an MFA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and is Associate Professor of English at Broward College.
She currently lives in South Florida with her husband, son, and many dogs. -
Nadja Spiegelman
Nadja Spiegelman is the Eisner-award nominated author of the ZIG AND WIKKI graphic series for young children and LOST IN NYC: A SUBWAY ADVENTURE. Her forthcoming memoir, "I'm Supposed to Protect You from All This," will be published by Riverhead Books in August 2016. She currently divides her time between Paris and Brooklyn.
Buy books on Amazon -
Jim Benton
Benton began his career in a custom design t-shirt shop where he started designing his own characters. At the same time, Jim did illustrations and artwork for magazines and newspapers. People magazine named him "the most visible cartoonist in America" .
Buy books on Amazon
Benton also created greeting cards and worked in the magazine and publishing industry. In 1998, his SpyDogs characters became an animated series, The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs, that aired on Fox Kids. Licensing his own creations brought them widespread attention on products, such as It's Happy Bunny, The Misters, Just Jimmy and more.
Benton currently lives in Michigan, where he operates out of his own studio. -
Rafael López
Rafael López has received three Pura Belpré Award medals from the American Library Association for Dancing Hands, Drum Dream Girl and Book Fiesta! The illustrations created by López bring diverse characters to children’s books and he works to produce and promote books that reflect and honor the lives of all young people.
Buy books on Amazon
His 2018 picture book release, The Day You Begin written by Jacqueline Woodson was a New York Times #1 Children’s Picture Books Bestseller and the recipient of the 2019 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You, written by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor focuses on differently abled kids working together to create a garden. The book is a #1 New York Times Children’s Picture Books Bests -
Megan C. Reynolds
Megan C. Reynolds is an editor at Dwell magazine, and previously worked at the now defunct Jezebel and The Billfold. She’s written for Buzzfeed, the New York Times, Elle, Gawker, Bustle, Vulture, and other outlets. Megan was also the co-host of the short-lived, celebrity-gossip focused podcast Dirtcast. She lives in New York City.
Buy books on Amazon -
Caryl Lewis
Caryl Lewis is an award winning Welsh language novelist. She was raised in Aberaeron before moving at the age of twelve to her family's farm in the parish of Dihewyd. She is an alumnus of Durham University and University of Wales Aberystwyth. Her first novel, Dal hi!, was published in 2003.
Buy books on Amazon -
Jennifer Bradbury
Jennifer Bradbury is an English teacher living in Burlington, Washington. She and her husband took a two-month long bicycling trek from Charleston, South Carolina, to Los Angeles, California for their honeymoon, changing more than fifty flat tires along the way. She was also a one-day winner of Jeopardy! Shift is her first novel.
Buy books on Amazon -
Katie Clapham
Katie graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London with a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing and an MA in Poetic Practice.
Buy books on Amazon
After spending three years working in editorial production for an orthopaedic research journal, Katie left London to do some soul searching on the Isle of Skye in the depths of winter. When she came back she opened a bookshop with her mum in her home town of Lytham St. Annes (Storytellers, Inc., December 2010). Named a Bookseller Rising Star in 2011 and Young Bookseller of the Year in 2012, Storytellers, Inc. has been nominated for Bookseller Industry Awards seven times over four years. Katie sits on the executive committees of the BA Children’s Book Group and for World Book Day, and reviews books every -
Suzy Senior
Suzy Senior lives and works at the top of a huge hill in Yorkshire. She lives with her husband, two lovely children, two guinea pigs, a hamster, some fish, a grumpy kestrel, twelve whippets and a family of cheeky ferrets.
Buy books on Amazon
She has worked in publishing for what seems like ages, and still really loves it. In her spare time she likes to write books for children, but usually has to clean out the guinea pigs instead.*
*That's all true, except for the bit about the ferrets, the kestrel and the whippets. To be honest, it's mainly just fish and guinea pigs. But that's plenty, really. -
Brian Biggs
Brian Biggs is the author and illustrator of more than a dozen children's books including the Everything Goes series, Tinyville Town, The Space Walk, and My Hero. He has also illustrated more than 60 book written by authors such as Jon Scieszka, Katherine Applegate, Cynthia Rylant, and Mac Barnett.
Buy books on Amazon
In addition, Brian created the graphic novels Frederick & Eloise, published by Fantagraphics in 1993, and Dear Julia, published by Top Shelf in 1999.
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Brian lived in Texas, New York, France, and California before settling down in Philadelphia, where he lives with his wife and several imaginary friends. -
Charles Ghigna
Buy books on Amazon
Charles Ghigna - Father Goose® lives in a treehouse in the middle of Alabama. He is the author of more than 100 books from Random House, Disney, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, Time Inc. and other publishers. He has written more than 5,000 poems for children and adults that have appeared in anthologies, newspapers and magazines ranging from The New Yorker and Harper’s to Highlights and Cricket magazines. He served as poet-in-residence and chair of creative writing at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, instructor of creative writing at Samford University, poetry editor of English Journal for the National Council of Teachers of English, and as a nationally syndicated poetry feature writer for Tribune Media Services. He speaks at schools, conferen -
Karen Beaumont
Karen Beaumont is the New York Times bestselling author of many award-winning picture books. She lives in Scotts Valley, California.
Buy books on Amazon -
Trudy Ludwig
Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids connect and engage with their peers in kind, caring ways. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing friendship, bullying, and cyberbullying issues at schools and conferences around the country.
Buy books on Amazon
An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy collaborates with leading US experts and organizations and has been profiled on national/regional media outlets. She has also served as content advisor for Sesame Workshop's "Good Birds Club" TV episode and as an expert panel member on Sesame Workshop's video s -
Maggie Edkins Willis
Maggie Edkins Willis grew up on the southern coast of Maine and studied design and art history at Penn. For seven years, she worked in-house for two major children’s publishers, designing, art directing, and illustrating dozens of covers. She worked on Newbery Medal-winners, Printz Honor recipients, a National Book Award shortlisted title, and numerous New York Times bestsellers.
Buy books on Amazon
A full-time author/illustrator, Maggie lives in New Jersey with her family. -
Liz Goulet Dubois
I write and illustrate books for children, and nothing makes me happier! I enjoy finding the sweet spot between funny and heartfelt, and creating characters that feel like real people, even if they are toads or ducks.
Buy books on Amazon
Visit me at:
LizGouletDubois.com -
Vicky Fang
Vicky Fang is the author of the Layla and the Bots chapter books series, the Best Buddies early reader series, the I Can Code board book series, and the picture book Invent-a-Pet. She is the author-illustrator of Friendbots, AlphaBot, and the forthcoming Ava Lin and One Mad Cat series. A former Google product designer, she now writes and illustrates children’s books full-time. Vicky Fang lives in California. You can learn more at vickyfang.com.
Buy books on Amazon -
Mikela Prevost
Mikela Prevost is an author and illustrator currently residing in Phoenix, Arizona with 3 energetic kids and a fantastic husband. Born and raised in Southern California she received her MFA from the California State University of Fullerton in Illustration. Writing and illustrating for children has been her life-long pursuit and passion. Mikela's work is driven by a desire to capture the whimsical innocence and unique perspective from which a child sees the world. Her debut picture book as both author and illustrator, LET'S HAVE A DOG PARTY! published by Viking/Penguin will be out in March 2019.
Buy books on Amazon -
Jonathan D. Voss
I love art, music, and beautiful things. I’ve always been hugely inspired by others who bring this beauty to the world around us. Whether it’s well crafted words in a book or a painting in a gallery, there is something stirring about it all.
Buy books on Amazon
I love the work of early illustrators like Arther Rackham, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Frank Schoonover. When I tell a story with pictures I want something to be felt. If an image falls flat, I haven’t done my job well. When I illustrate a book, I approach it as though I’m moving a camera around the action. I get to decide where to freeze the frame. It’s a big responsibility to tell a story well. I haven’t figured it all out yet, but I’m loving the journey. Maybe one day, when I grow up, I’ll be good -
Ginger Park
Author of THE HUNDRED CHOICES DEPARTMENT STORE (awarded 2022 BEST BOOKS by Korean American Authors by Best of Korea) https://bestofkorea.com/round-up-of-k.... Recently published: GRANDPA'S SCROLL. Forthcoming: SUKA'S FARM (Fall, 2024), BINNA'S BIRTHDAY (Spring, 2025).
Buy books on Amazon
According to my life path number 3, I was destined to write (that is if you believe in numerology and I do). But as a youngster, I was an athlete, a gymnast with boundless energy, spending most of my time upside down, turning cartwheels and doing backflips – I was too carefree to tap into my creative side.
That all changed on my seventeenth birthday, two days after my father’s untimely death. Call it a gut-wrenching aha moment, a reflective day of tearful soul-searching when I r -
Jonathan Stutzman
Jonathan is a writer of picture books, a filmmaker, book hoarder, and daring explorer of 24-hour diners. He is the author of the bestselling TINY T. REX series, LLAMA DESTROYS THE WORLD and LLAMA UNLEASHES THE ALPACALYPSE, FITZ AND CLEO, BUTTS ARE EVERYWHERE, and many others.
Buy books on Amazon
His next book is BEAR IS A BEAR illustrated by Dan Santat.
Jonathan studied film in college and grad school. His short films have screened around the world and on television, and he has writing credits on Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Emmy-winning variety show HitRECord on TV.
If you ever meet him in person, he will probably-maybe share his french fries. -
Christie Matheson
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Buy books on Amazon
Writer. Illustrator.
Tap the Magic Tree
Touch the Brightest Star
Plant the Tiny Seed
Bird Watch
The Hidden Rainbow
Shelter -
Cliff Burke
Cliff Burke has taught reading and writing in China, Hong Kong, the US, and the UK. His first novel, An Occasionally Happy Family, was a 2022 Spirit of Texas Book and was selected for several state reading lists. His most recent novel, My Not-So-Great French Escape, was released in March 2023.
Buy books on Amazon
Visit him online at cliffburke.com -
Sarah Jacoby
Sarah Jacoby grew up wandering the woods outside of Philadelphia, where she still lives. She now draws for a variety of people and places, including the New York Times, and she is the author and illustrator of and the illustrator of Rabbit and the Motorbike and The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown.
Buy books on Amazon -
Erika Meza
I am a Mexican Migrant: colorful, bubbly, and a taco connoisseur. After studying graphic design back home (and moving house nearly 30 times) I lived in a dungeon with a princess in Paris to attend the Illustration (Image Imprimée) program at ENSAD, which got me addicted to chocolate éclairs and 2 am bike rides by the river.
Buy books on Amazon
I now live with a cat in the UK where I work with ink, gouaches and watercolor pencils as an author and illustrator represented in my exploits by Claire Cartey. -
Laura G. Lee
Laura G. Lee is a second-generation Korean American born in the wild mountains of West Virginia. Her forest-filled childhood, pondering beings great and small, nurtured a keen sense of observation that Laura brings to her lifelong career as a designer and artist.
Buy books on Amazon
After studying interactive media and design at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and a MA degree in Architecture from Columbia University, Laura's worn the hats of filmmaker, design researcher, and product designer. Using digital and traditional art mediums (watercolor, ink, pencil), she is passionate about stories that spark our connection to the world and each other.
Laura lives in a lovingly-restored Eichler home in Northern California, where she lives with her husband, son, and daugh -
Sade Smith
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Sadé Smith is a Canadian children’s book author of Jamaican descent. She loves to write stories that will allow your imagination to take you away. Her books often involve food and recipes for readers to enjoy along with vibrant illustrations to capture the colors of the Caribbean islands.
Buy books on Amazon
In addition to writing, she is also a designer/technologist who practices the skilled trades and home renovations. She can swing a hammer as well as she can swing a pen!
She is the author of Granny's Kitchen and Julie and the Mango Tree. -
Helen Stephens
Helen Stephens is the illustrator of a number of books for children. She is best known for her How to Hide a Lion series, which was adapted for the stage by the Polka Theatre. She has illustrated stories for some of her favorite authors, including Roger McGough, Michael Morpurgo, Sophie Hannah, Holly Webb, and Cecile Aubry. Helen Stephens lives on the windy coast of Northumberland, England, with her family.
Buy books on Amazon -
Ethan Long
Ethan Long is a popular, award-winning and internationally recognized children's book author and illustrator with over 70 children's books, a Theodor Seuss Geisel Award and an Emmy-nominated television series to his credit. Just about all of his awake time is spent writing stories, drawing pictures and spending time with his family. Since graduating from Ringling College of Art and Design in 1991, Ethan has never stopped evolving, challenging his creative approach with each new project while constantly honing his instantly identifiable style. Born and raised in Central Pennsylvania, his childhood memories serve as inspiration for many of his drawings and stories. He currently lives with his wife and three children in beautiful Orlando, Flor
Buy books on Amazon -
Steve Small
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Buy books on Amazon -
Russell Punter
Russell Punter was born in Bedfordshire, England. From an early age he enjoyed writing and illustrating his own stories. He trained as a graphic designer at art college in West Sussex before entering the world of publishing. He has written over one hundred books for children of all ages, ranging from original stories to adaptations of classic novels.
Buy books on Amazon -
Jef Czekaj
Jef Czekaj is a cartoonist, children's book author and illustrator, and musician.
Buy books on Amazon
Jef has written and/or illustrated 12 books with titles like Hip and Hop Don't Stop!, Cat Secrets, A Call for a New Alphabet, and Austin, Lost in America.
His books have been named Junior Library Guild selections, designated "Must Read" by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, and won awards with names like the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award and the Young Hoosier Book Award.
His comic, Grampa and Julie: Shark Hunters, ran in Nickelodeon Magazine for more than 10 years. A collection of the first three years of the comic was published with the help of a Xeric Foundation Grant and distributed byTop Shelf.
Jef lives and works in Somerville, MA.
BTW, Czekaj is pronounced -
John McCutcheon
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Buy books on Amazon
John McCutcheon is an American folk music singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and writer. -
Kevin Cornell
Kevin Cornell spends his days in Philadelphia, drawing made-up things. You know… like a “dog driving a bus”, or a “talking can of beets”. If you ever see a talking can of beets, tell Kevin. He's been trying to figure that one out for years.
Buy books on Amazon
He has illustrated several books, websites, and comics, and has been doing it for quite a long time now. There's a ton more work on his old site, if you've a hankering to see more. To see his most current sketches, comics and drawings, check out his instagram.
If you have a book you want Kevin to illustrate, please get in touch with his agent, the distinguished Steve Malk. If you wish to contact Kevin because he's behind on his payments and you need to know where to send the next toe… hmmm… send that to hi -
Korey Watari
Korey is a sansei, or third-generation Japanese American, born and raised in Los Angeles. She played basketball for a Japanese American league, graduated from the University of California, Riverside and studied at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Korey has worked in the animation and fashion industries for companies such as Disney and the Gap. I Am Able to Shine is her first picture book.
Buy books on Amazon
She is married to Mike Wu, the author and illustrator of the acclaimed, bestselling Ellie series, the first picture book of which was named one of NPR’s best books of the year. He is also a Pixar artist and has worked on films including The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, Toy Story 3, Coco, and Soul.
They live in the San Francisco Bay area in -
Christine Platt
Christine A. Platt is a historian and storyteller of the African diaspora. She holds a B.A. in Africana Studies from the University of South Florida, M.A. in African Studies from The Ohio State University and received her J.D. from Stetson University College of Law.
Buy books on Amazon
Her debut novel, The Truth About Awiti, was published under the penname CP Patrick and won the 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards Gold Medal for Multicultural Fiction. The Truth About Awiti is currently used in high schools, colleges and universities to teach the history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Christine’s highly anticipated children series, Ana & Andrew, will be published on December 15, 2018 (ABDO Books/Calico Kids).
Christine currently serves as the Managing Dir -
Connie Schultz
Connie Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, a nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate, and Professional in Residence in the journalism school at Kent State University, her alma mater. She is the author of two memoirs: "Life Happens" and "…And His Lovely Wife." Her first novel, "The Daughters of Erietown," will be published on June 9, 2020.
Buy books on Amazon
Schultz lives in Cleveland with her husband, Sherrod Brown, and their two rescue dogs, Franklin and Walter. They have four children and seven grandchildren. -
Stephen W. Martin
STEPHEN W. MARTIN is the author of Robot Smash!, Charlotte and the Rock and Stewart's Best Pen. He has also written for Frederator's Bravest Warriors and the Netflix series Trash Truck. Stephen resides in Los Angeles, California but misses Newfoundland.
Buy books on Amazon -
Lo Cole
An internationally acclaimed illustrator and printmaker, Lo Cole’s commercial illustration work spans editorial, publishing, advertising, corporate design and album cover artwork.
Buy books on Amazon
Lo has worked for The Guardian since 2002 – readers of the Weekend magazine will be familiar with his witty, bold and graphic imagery for ‘What I’m Really Thinking’, a column written anonymously by members of the public, for which Lo has created over 300 illustrations, to date. Lo is also a weekly contributor to The Economist Magazine, illustrating the Latin American column, ‘Bello’.
In addition to his career as an illustrator, Lo has a following as a printmaker; making limited edition prints since he left art school. Nowadays, he creates and prints these digitally -
Adam Stower
Adam completed a BA in Illustration at Norwich and an MA in Narrative Illustration at Brighton where he now lives and works. Adam is now represented by Arena agency.
Buy books on Amazon
Adam has a passion for drawing and a great love of traditional illustration. He specialises in fiction for children, editorial, character development and product design.
from http://www.worldofadam.com/main.htm -
Carmen Agra Deedy
Carmen Agra Deedy is an internationally known author of children’s literature, a storyteller and radio contributor. Born in Havana, Cuba, she immigrated to the United States with her family in 1963 after the Cuban Revolution. Deedy grew up in Decatur, Georgia and currently lives in Atlanta and has three daughters.
Buy books on Amazon -
David Mas Masumoto
David "Mas" Masumoto is an organic peach and grape farmer and author of Epitaph for a Peach (1995), which offers a glimpse of life on a family farm in Central California, Letters to the Valley, A Harvest of Memories (2004), Four Seasons in Five Senses, Things Worth Savoring (2003), and Harvest Son, Planting Roots in American Soil (1998). His organic farming techniques have been employed by farmers across the nation.
Buy books on Amazon
Masumoto earned his B.A. in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.S. in community development 1982 from the University of California, Davis. He is the winner of the UC Davis “Award of Distinction” from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 2003. He was a founding member of California A -
Mark Karlins
Mark Karlins is the author of six picture books, two books of poetry for adults, and a number of reviews and essays. he also teaches the writing and appreciation of poetry to children and adults. Mark and his wife live in the mountains near Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they savor the sounds of mourning doves, ravens, and coyotes.
Buy books on Amazon -
Andrew Joyner
Andrew Joyner is an internationally published illustrator and author. His popular books include The Terrible Plop, written by Ursula Dubosarsky. He lives in South Australia
Buy books on Amazon -
Vikram Madan
Vikram Madan lives in Seattle where he makes fun art and writes funny books including:
Buy books on Amazon
* BEWARE THE DRAGON AND THE NOZZLEWOCK - A Poetry Collection in a Graphic Novel format (Ages 7 and up, and for poetry and comic lovers of all ages) - Kirkus Starred Review, Horn Book Starred Review, Kirkus Best Books of the Year, Boston Globe Best Books of the Year, EPL 101 Great Books for Kids 2024.
* ZOONI TALES (Graphic-Novel-In-Rhyme series, 2 books) - Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections
* OWL & PENGUIN (Starter Graphic Novel Series, 3 books) - 2023 Geisel Honor Book, ALA Notable Children's Book, and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
* 'A HATFUL OF DRAGONS' (Funny Poetry Collection) - Selected as a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Revi -
Brianne Farley
Brianne Farley is an author and illustrator of picture books. Her debut, Ike's Incredible Ink, was awarded the Marion Vannett Ridgway Book Award Honor for debut authors and was selected for the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show. She also illustrates the picture book series Charlotte the Scientist is Squished by Camille Andros, which was a Portland Best Book, a Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award, and was on the LITA Notable List. Brianne received her MFA in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design; she now lives in Traverse City, Michigan.
Buy books on Amazon -
Kate Berube
Kate’s debut picture book as an author and illustrator is HANNAH AND SUGAR, published by Abrams Books For Young Readers. Kate illustrated THE SUMMER NICK TAUGHT HIS CATS TO READ, by Curtis Manley - published by Simon & Schuster’s Paula Wiseman Books. Kate also illustrated MY LITTLE HALF-MOON by Douglas Todd Jennerich - published by Putnam Books. Kate now lives in Portland, Oregon.
Buy books on Amazon
Kate Berube (Bear uh bee) grew up wanting to be an artist in a cow-filled Connecticut town. She earned her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Like so many artists, Kate’s career trajectory wasn't a straight line – she’s been a nanny, a tax preparer in Massachusetts, a scenic painter in NYC, a decorative painter in Chicago, and a bookseller in Port